Mattress and method of making same



Oct. 28, 1952 w. H. RAMAGE mmmsss AND METHOD 01-" MAKING SAME 2 SHEETSSI-IEET 1 Filed Amil 12. 1948 1952 w. H. RAMAGE MATTRESS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 SHEETS-$l-IEET 2 Filed April 12, 1948 Patented Oct. 28, 1952 2,615,179 MATTRESS AND METHOD MAKING SAME William H. Ramage, Memphis, Tenn.

Application April 12, 1948, Serial No. 20,503

12 Claims.

The invention relates to inner-spring mattresses and the fabrication thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide a spring center mattress for a double bed, which includes inner-spring structures or sections which are separately flexible along the transverse center of the mattress, so that when the mattress is heavily loaded by a person on one side-portion and a light person on the other, the spring structures will be depressed differentially responsive to their respective loads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mattress of this type in which the outer side borders extend continuously around both sections of the mattress.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method for fabricating a mattress of the type which includes separate spring structures arranged side-by-side with box-borders between them to permit the spring structures to be separately flexed by differential loads thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating mattresses of this type, in which the maximum amount of sewing may be performed by machine stitching.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined at the conclusion hereof.

In the draWingsr Fig. 1 is a perspective of a mattress embodying the invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a transverse section, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one end portion of the central unit, which includes the inner side borders, the fabric cover sections attached thereto. and the strips for connecting said borders and the corner border wires of the spring structures;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section illustrating the manner of assembling the inner box-borders and the adjacent spring'structures;

Fig. 5 is 'a transverse section illustrating the flexing of the mattress sections by differential loads thereon; 1

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken between boxborders at the inner sides of the spring structures; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective of a portion of one end of the spring structures.

The invention is exemplified in a mattress which comprises a pair of sections, each including a spring center-structure to divide the mattress along its longitudinal center and between its ends, padding on the top and bottom faces of the spring structures, and a box-border extending-continuously around both sections to form a mattress for a single mattress for a double bed.

2 Each spring structure including top and bottom longitudinal and transverse corner border wires or members [0, helicals H between the longitudinal corner members, and coil springs l2 between the helicals and the top and bottom corner ing of the spring structure by differential loads thereon. Each of these inner box-borders comprises a fabric cover 20, to the inner face of which a pad 22 is stitched by seams 24. These inner box-borders are attached together along their transverse center by seams 2B, which extend through both borders and permit the portions be-. tween said seams and the top and bottom of the mattress to flex independently. A strip of stout fabric 28 is secured to each of the inner faces of these inner borders by the seams 26 which secure the central portion of the box-borders together. The strips 28 extend upwardly and downwardly from the seams 26, and have their margins overlapping as at 29, the padding around the adjacent border-members I0, and are secured to the spring structure by stitches 32 which extend through a strip 26 and the padding [6 I and [8 at the inner side of the border members,-

so that the strips will form individual flexible connection between the center of the inner side. borders and the adjacent corner members of the spring structures.

The padding in each section of the by a tape 3| to the inner edge of one of the fabric covers 20 of the inner side borders. An additional layer of suitable padding 34 is provided between.

each padding I8 and each cover section 30.

A- preformed box-border 38 which includes a:

the padding l6 and 18 on the sides and ends of both sections, and is secured to the padded spring structures by stitches or staples 5U.

The ends of the fabric covers 20 of the borders between the sections are unattached to the cover of the surrounding border 38, except at the mat! ting edges of the surrounding box-border. These mattress "has top and bottom fabric cover-sections 30, each of which has its inner longitudinal edge attached,

inner side borders are stitched together as at 52 on lines diverging from the seams 52 to the outer corners of strips 20, so that the gap or pockets between the flexible portions of covers 2%) will slope downwardly and inwardly, and the pockets may be readily cleared by a brush.

In use, each section or side portion of the mattress is free to flex responsive to its individual load because the inner side borders are free to flex independently of each other between the seams 26 and their longitudinal edges. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 5, if one section is heavily loaded by a person, the section occupied will be depressed to a greater degree than the other section if it is occupied by a person of less weight. The inner box-borders have, in effect, longitudinal slits or pockets between them, and the flared seams 52 adjacent the ends of the inner box-borders facilitate the brushing of any collected material from the pockets over the edges of the ends of the mattress.

For the purpose of stabilizing the outer borders at the ends of the mattress between the spring structures, the top and bottom border members of one structure are extended as at 56 to bridge the gap between the inner corners of the end members of the spring structures, and are secured by clips 5 to underlying members. The corner border members l0, being resiliently supported and sufficiently flexible, permit the desired individual flexibility of the mattress sections. If desired, a liner of soft cloth 58 may be provided between padding I6 and padding Ill.

The method of fabricating the mattress is as follows: Two spring structures, each comprising corner border members I0, coil springs l2, and helicals M. are assembled side-by-side and connected by bridge-members 56. Paddings I6 and I8 are placed over the faces of each of the spring structures and tucked under the adjacent members at both sides and ends of each structure. Cover-sections are stitched to the longitudinal edges of a pair of preformed box-borders by tapes 31, which can be performed in a tapeedge stitching machine. The two box-borders and strips 28 are secured together, with their fabric covers face-to-face, by seams 28 along the transverse center of the pads after the cover sctionsZD have been secured to the fabric of said borders. This work can be performed on a sewingmachine. The end-portions of this pair of box-borders are secured together by divergent seams 52 which extend from the seams to the end of said border. This will form a unit comprising box-borders, cover sections, and strips 25. Next, this unit will be passed between the contiguous sides of the spring structures havin the padding thereon, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The pads 22 will be positioned centrally between the top and bottom of the sprin structures. The free margins of strips 26 will then be folded over the adjacent corner members l0 and padding thereon and secured to the padded spring structure by stitches 32. Next, additional padding 34 is placed on the padding l8 and over the inner margins of strips 26 and tucked around the edge of the padding on the spring structures. Next, the edges of the box-border are stitched to the longitudinal and end edges of the cover sections 30, which Work can be performed with a tape-edge stitching machine, to complete the fabrication of the mattress.

The invention exemplifies a single mattress which includes a pair of sections with spring structures which permit the sections to be independently flexed responsive to differential loads.

The invention also exemplifies a method of producing mattresses of this type in which the maximum-amount of work may be performed with the stitchin machine.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including corner border members; padding on each of the structures; a fabric cover section for the padding on each of the structures; a pair of abutting flexible inner side borders between the contiguous sides of the structures and dividing the mattress longitudinally, attached together along their transverse center, and having their longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent'edges of the cover sections, respectively, for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads; and.

a surrounding border extending continuously around the outer sides of the structures, having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover sections.

2. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including corner border members; padding n each of the structures; a fabric cover-section for the padding on each structure; a pair of abutting flexible inner side borders between the contiguous sides of the structures and dividing the mattress longitudinally, attached together along their transverse center, including fabric covers having their longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent edges of the cover-sections, respectively,

for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads; flexible means connecting the central portion of the inner side borders and the adjacent corner border members of the spring structures, respectively; and a surrounding box-border extending continuously around the outer sides of the structures, including a fabric cover, having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover sections.

3. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including corner border members; padding on each of the structures; a fabric cover-section for the padding on each structure; a pair of abutting flexible inner side borders between the contiguous sides of the structures dividing the mattress longitudinally, attached together along their transverse center, longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent edges of the cover sections for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads, respectively; and a surrounding box-border extending continuously around the outer sides of the structures, having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover sections; the inner borders being secured together adjacent the ends of the surrounding side border on inwardly convergent lines to form pockets of gradually increasing depth. 7

4. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including corner border members; padding on each of the structures extending around said border members; a fabric cover-section for the padding on each structure; a pair of abutting flexible in-.

her side box borders between the contiguous sides of the structures, dividing the mattress into sections, attached together along their transverse center, including pads and fabric covers having their longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent margins of the cover-sections, respectively, for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads; flexible strips secured to the central portion of the inner side-borders and to the adjacent border members of and the padding on the spring structures, respectively; and a surrounding box-border extending continuously around the outer sides of the sections, including a fabric cover having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover-sections.

5. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including corner border members and members bridging the inner border members at the ends of the structures; padding on each of the structures; a fabric cover section for the padding on each structure; a pair of abutting flexible inner side-borders between the contiguous sides of the structures and dividing the mattress longitudinally, attached together along their transverse center and having their longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent edges of the cover-sections, respectively, for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads; and a surrounding border extending continuously around the outer sides of the structures, having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover-sections.

6. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including border members and members bridging the inner border-members at the ends of the structures; a fabric cover-section for the padding on each structure; a pair of abutting flexible inner side borders between the contiguous sides of the sections, attached together along their transverse center, including fabric covers having their longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent edges of the cover-sections, respectively, for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads; flexible means connecting the central portion of the inner side-borders and the adjacent bordermembers, respectively; and a surrounding boxborder extending continuously around the outer sides of the structures, including a fabric cover having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover-sections.

7. A mattress comprising: a pair of innerspring structures arranged side-by-side, each including corner border members; padding on each of the structures; a fabric cover section for the padding on each structure; a Pair of abutting flexible inner side-borders between the contiguous sides of the structures and dividing the mattress longitudinally, attached together along their transverse center, and having their longitudinal edges attached to the adjacent edges of the cover-sections, respectively, for separate flexing of the structures by differential loads; and a surrounding border extending continuously around the outer sides of the structures, having its edges secured to the outer edges of the cover-sections, the ends of the inner side-borders being attached only to the edges of the surrounding border.

8. That improvement in fabricating a mattress which comprises securing one edge of each of a pair of fabric cover-sections to one edge of each of a pair of fabric side-borders; securing the borders together in abutting relation along their transverse center; inserting the attached-together borders between an assembled pair of inner spring structures having padding thereon; and securing the edges of a box-border to the edges of the cover sections continuously around the sides and ends of both structures.

9. That improvement in fabricating a mattress which comprises: securing one edge of each of a pair of fabric cover-sections to one edge of each of a pair of fabric side-borders; securing the borders together in abutting relation along their transverse center, and attaching flexible strips to the opposite faces of said borders; inserting the attached-together borders between an assembled pair of inner spring structures having padding thereon; securing the strips to the adjacent members of the spring structures, respectively; and securing the edges of a box-border to the edges of the cover sections continuously around the sides and ends of both structures.

10. That improvement in fabricating mattresses which comprises: securing one edge of each of a pair of fabric cover-sections to one edge of the fabric cover of one of a pair of box-borders; securing together in abutting relation the box-borders along their transverse center; assembling separate padding on a pair of inner spring structures; inserting the connected pair of box-borders between the contiguous sides of the pair of spring structures; and securing the outer edges of the cover-sections to a box-border extending continuously around the outer sides of both spring structures.

11. That improvement in fabricating mattresses which comprises: securing one edge of each of a pair of fabric cover-panels to one edge of each of the fabric covers of a pair of box-borders; securing together in abutting relation the boxborders, and strips along their transverse center; assembling separate padding on a pair of inner spring structures; inserting the connected pair of box-borders between the contiguous sides of the pair of spring structures; securing the strips to the adjacent corners of the spring structures, respectively; and securing the outer edges of the cover-sections to a box-border extending continuously around the outer sides of both spring structures.

12. That improvement in fabricating mattresses which comprises: securing one edge of each of a pair of fabric cover-panels to one edge of each of the fabric covers of a pair of boxborders; stitching together in abutting relation the box-borders along their transverse center and at their outer ends to their outer corners and simultaneously securing strips to the faces of the borders; assembling separate padding on a pair of inner spring structures; inserting the connected pair of box-borders between the contiguous sides of the pair of spring structures; securing the strips to the adjacent corners of the spring structures, respectively; and securing the outer edges of the cover panels to a box-border extending continuously around the outer sides of both spring structures.

WILLIAM H. RAMAGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,834,546 Micon Dec. 6, 1931 1,900,802 Cohen Mar. 7, 1933 1,903,619 Canfield Apr. 11, 1933 1,909,434 Tervo May 16, 1933 2,466,096 Garrigus Apr. 5, 1949 

